In recent years, there has been proposed a lighting device using an organic electroluminescence element as a light source (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-170249).
JP2009-170249A discloses a lighting device 60 configured as shown in FIG. 6.
The lighting device 60 includes a device body 62, a support pipe 63 for supporting the device body 62, and a fixing portion 64 for fixing the device body 62 through the support pipe 63.
The device body 62 includes a plurality of organic electroluminescence panels (hereinafter referred to as “organic EL panels”) 61, a support frame 65 for supporting the organic EL panels 61, and a cover member 66 for covering the organic EL panels 61 supported on the support frame 65.
In this regard, JP2009-170249A discloses that the lighting device 60 is fixed to a ceiling 67 by the fixing portion 64. JP2009-170249A further discloses that the light is irradiated from the respective organic EL panels 61 toward a floor surface within a room.
In the lighting device 60 suspended from the ceiling 67, it is possible to illuminate the space existing below the device body 62 because the light is irradiated from the respective organic EL panels 61 toward the floor surface within the room.
In the lighting device 60, however, no consideration is given to the distribution of the light from the respective organic EL panels 61 toward the upper side of the device body 62. Thus the space existing above the device body 62 may possibly become dark.
In view of this, the present inventors have conceived that, in the lighting device 60 suspended from the ceiling 67, the organic EL panels 61 are arranged at the upper side of the support frame 65 in order to distribute the light toward the upper side of the device body 62. Moreover, it has come to the attention of the present inventors that, in the lighting device 60, dust or the like is deposited on the organic EL panels 61 arranged at the upper side of the support frame 65. The dust thus deposited absorbs moisture existing in the air. The degradation of the organic EL panels 61 (the reduction of the light quantity or the shortened lifespan of the organic EL panels 61) may be caused by the moisture.